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Volume 12, Number 1 January 2002 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Artbook Shelf Musicbook Shelf
Military Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Fiction Shelf
Travel Shelf Photography Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf American History Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Architecture Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Computer Shelf
Fantasy/Sci-Fi Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Audiobook Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Gardening Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Sports Shelf
Biography Shelf Women's Studies Shelf Business Shelf
World History Shelf Poetry Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Hunting/Fishing Shelf Humor Shelf Science Shelf
Railroading Shelf Civil War Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Education Shelf International Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Law/Justice Shelf Political Science Shelf Archaeology Shelf
Literary Shelf Environmental Shelf Native American Shelf
Psychology Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Library Video Shelf
Library CD Music Shelf Genealogy Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf



Reviewer's Choice

Grandma Always Said...
Pearl Hummerding
Voyageur Press
123 North Second Street, Stillwater MN 55082-0338
0896585689 $14.95 1-800-888-9653

In Grandma Always Said..., Pearl Hummerding has created a compendium of wise and common-sense advice, exactly the kind of commentary that rural grandma's were ably to dispense and drawn from their hard won farm wisdom. From "A Watched pot never boils. But an unwatched pot boils over." to "Cows don't care what you wear. They just care if your hands are warm.", Grandma Always Said... is a collection of home-spun insights that are as entertaining as they are inspiring. There should be a copy of Grandma Always Said... on the shelves of every village, town, and city library throughout the country!!

Printing Types
Daniel Berkeley Updike
Oak Knoll Press
310 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720-5038
1584560568 $85.00 1-800-996-2556

Printing Types: Their History, Forms And Use is a unique and extraordinary survey exploring the art of typography from the very beginnings of printing down to the present day. A printer, scholar, award-winning designer, and teacher, Daniel Updike draws upon his considerable expertise and research to trace the development of type design and comment on the lessons the historic periods of type design have for today's designers. The informative and impressive text is enhanced with 367 typographical illustrations selected from rare and beautiful books down through the history of typography. Highly recommended for both professional and academic reference collections, Daniel Updike's Printing Types is also available as a two volume paperback set (1584560606, $49.95).

Basic Scenery For Model Railroaders
Lou Sassi
Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
0890244227 $18.95 1-800-533-6644

Filled cover to cover with instructional color photographs, Basic Scenery For Model Railroaders: The Complete Photo Guide by Lou Sassi is a finely detailed, step-by-step how-to guide for creating picturesque, professional-looking, three-dimensional, model railroading scenery. Explicit and meticulous instructions unfailingly guide novice and expert hobbyists alike in creating woodlands, ponds, roads, rural landscapes, and more to perfect scale. Basic Scenery For Model Railroaders is very highly recommended for serious model railroad hobbyists.

Wrong Feet First
Arta Banks
Lovegifts Publishing
PO Box 201388, Denver, CO 80220
0970260113 $14.95 1-800-431-1579

In Wrong Feet First: A Gift Of Stories For Your Inside-Out Kind Of Days, Arta Banks presents a heartwarming, entertaining, and occasionally inspiring collection of true stories illustrating and celebrating life in good times and tough times. A single mom with six children (five of whom are adopted), Arta has also taken in kids born with drug addiction, fleeing abusive homes, and experienced having her youngest daughter diagnosed with HIV when just two and a half months old. Drawn from Arta's personal experiences and journal recordings, Wrong Feet First is candid, emotionally moving, and a testament to the resilience and endurance of the human spirit -- as well as a celebration of the joys that balance sorrows, the power of hope, and the beauty life has to offer in even the most humble of circumstances.

Joe Nagata's Lego Mindstorms Idea Book
Joe Nagata
No Starch Press
555 De Haro Street, #250, San Francisco, CA 94107
1886411409 $21.95 www.nostarch.com

Joe Nagata's Lego Mindstorms Idea Book is a completely "user friendly" tutorial and "how to" guide book to making working robots. Profusely illustrated with more than 250 original CAD drawings and offering summaries of engineering principles and programming code, readers are easily able to understand how each robot works. Each robot building project includes a parts list as well as step-by-step instructions for their creation. Joe Nagata's Lego Mindstorms Idea Book is strongly recommended for anyone of any age or background who has ever watched an episode of "Robot Wars" and wanted to get in on the fun!

Keepers Of The Wolves
Richard P. Thiel
The University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711
0299174743 $19.95 1-773-568-1550

Keepers Of The Wolves: The Early Years Of Wolf Recovery In Wisconsin by Richard Thiel (coordinator of the Wisconsin Department of natural Resources Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, Babcock, Wisconsin) is the true and fascinating story of the restoration of wild wolves to Wisconsin Forest, from 1978 when they had been gone for twenty years to the present day with an estimated 200 timber wolves in 54 packs. Black-and-white line drawings illustrate a story of political controversies, environmental struggles, and the enduring strength of the wolf itself. A conservationist success story, Keepers Of The Wolves is especially recommended for Wisconsin environmental issues reading lists and wildlife restoration studies reference collections.

How Stuff Works
Marshall Brain
Hungry Minds
909 Third Ave., 20th Fl., NY, NY 10022
0764565184 $24.99 1-800-434-3422

Based on the amazing aggregate of information collected upon the famous web site HowStuffWorks.com, How Stuff Works is an exciting reference as suitable for curious adults as it is for inquiring children that explains, in practical terms that any lay reader can easily understand, the functional principle or mechanism behind a vast array of common inventions, tools, and ideas. The casual browser will learn a wealth of information from how four-stroke gasoline engines work to how file compression works, clearly illustrated with detailed diagrams and enhanced with sidebar commentary. The more serious reader will come away from How Stuff Works with a notably higher understanding and appreciation of the technological innovations so many others simply use and take for granted. How Stuff Works is superb for educational leisure reading, and is a highly recommended gift book for any friend or family member who is curious about what makes everything around them tick!

Participating In Nature
Thomas J. Elpel
HOPS Press
12 Quartz St., Pony, MT 59747-0691
1-892784-04-1 $16.95

Discover nature by using it with the help of Thomas Elpel's Participating In Nature, a superbly informative guide which covers everything from how to tan hides from a fall hunting trip to fishing by hand and using willow baskets. Any studying primitive skills or survival methods will find Participating In Nature packed with both innovative and traditional skills in this important hands-on guide for the outdoorsman.

Better Homes And Gardens 3 Steps To Weight Loss
Lawrence J. Cheskin, M.D.
Meredith Books
1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50336-0001
0696214202 $19.95 meredithbooks.com

In Better Homes And Gardens 3 Steps To Weight Loss, Dr. Lawrence Cheskin draws upon his expertise and experience at the Weigh Management Center at Johns Hopkins University to provide the non-specialist general reader with realistic solutions for losing weight, keeping it off, and maintaining a healthful, satisfying lifestyle through three basic steps involving nutritious eating, physical exercise, and behavioral changes. Step One is identifying the optimum and healthy weight for a particular height and build. Step Two is determining how many calories are needed to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. Step Three is a healthy eating plan based on caloric needs. To that end, the Better Homes And Gardens 3 Steps To Weight Loss showcases 110 superbly presented recipes enhanced with full color photography of the finished dishes. From Greek Lamb Salad with Yogurt Dress; Pork Medallions with Pear Sauce; and Chicken with Braised Spinach and Leek; to Sesame-Teriyaki Sea Bass; Sweet Bean Pilaf; and Mocha Pudding Cake, Better Homes And Gardens 3 Steps To Weight Loss will grace any family cookbook collection as an instant favorite!

Heyday Books
Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
http://www.heydaybooks.com

Two excellent titles are recommended library picks. Kimi Kodani Hill edits Shades Of California (1-890771-44-9, $18.95), which gathers hundreds of family photos from California albums celebrating California's cultural diversity and family life. The black and white vintage photos are an involving collection of images from bygone years and ordinary lives. Peter Johnstone edits Giants In The Earth (23-6, $18.00), a treatise on the California redwood tree which offers a history of their changing role in California perception and life. From John Muir to the efforts of lumberjacks, this surveys both the logging and protection of the redwood tree. Both are fine California guides.

Pomegranate Press Ltd.
Box 17217, Beverly Hills, CA 90209

Two excellent Dark Shadows collections are high recommended picks for prior fans of the movie and series. Kathryn Leigh Scott's Dark Shadows Memories (0-938817-60-4, $21.95) provides a 35th anniversary retrospective with personal remembrances from the actress/author. Included here are plenty of black and white photos of the characters and a summary of the show's five-year plots (1,225 episodes all outlined). Scott and Jim Pierson's Dark Shadows Almanac Millennium Edition (18-3, $19.95) provides a plot guide to the daytime series, with its updated compendium including over 200 newly discovered black and white photos plus facts and trivia about the series. A centerfold of color photos adds color and eye-catching drama. A treasure trove for any fans of the series.

The Winds Of Destiny
Willie Tee
1st Books Library
2511 West 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47404
0759627924 $14.00 www.1stbooks.com

Set in the 1950's, Willie Tee's The Winds Of Destiny is a story about true-life events in the past of author Willie Tee, beginning with the death of his youngest uncle and the dark cloud of a haunting secret that menaced his family. Rural farm life, personal tragedy, and the pervasive belief in voodoo and witchcraft among African-Americans in the rural south come to life within the pages of The Winds Of Destiny. A charged, thought-provoking, deftly written story.

The Other Side Of The World
William H. Eddy
Enfield Publishing
Katharine Archer & Co. (publicity)
PO Box 699, Enfield, N.H. 03748
0970895100 $27.00 1-603-632-7377

The Other Side Of The World: Essays And Stories On Mind And Nature by William Eddy is an impressive and thoughtful collection of 45 intriguing and compelling essays that turn familiar perspectives around, enabling the reader to see faraway places through new eyes. Based on the author's 40 years of experience spanning five continents, the selections and stories of The Other Side of the World include reflections on the Taj Mahal, the mysteries of Shangri La, and the wisdom of Galileo. The Other Side Of The World is a highly enjoyable read for armchair travelers, or anyone interested in challenging their commonly held perceptions of the vast diversity of cultures around world.

Mastering Herbalism
Paul Huson
Madison Books
4720 Boston Way, Lanham, Maryland 20706
1568331819 $19.95 1-800-462-6420

Mastering Herbalism: A Practical Guide by herbal expert Paul Huson is a marvelous compendium of useful information concerning herbs of all kinds. Countless practical uses for herbs are covered, from recipes for flavorful jams, soups, and teas to creating homemade perfumes and incenses to all-natural medicine. Mastering Herbalism is also packed with gardening tips for growing one's own herbs. Illustrated with line drawings and enhanced with four appendices, a glossary, a select bibliography, and comprehensive index, Mastering Herbalism is simply a "must" for any cook or gardener looking to put a little extra spice in their life!

Superman Radio Scripts
DC Comics
Billboard
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0-8230-8423-X $19.95 1-800-451-1741

Superman Radio Scripts presents original radio scripts from the 1940s radio series Adventures Of Superman, gathering scripts never before available and pairing them with sixteen pieces of classic cartoon art. It's the scripts themselves which are the highlight here: perfect for Superman collectors or fans of old radio dramas.

Celebrating Time Alone
Lionel Fisher
Beyond Words
20827 NW Cornell Rd. #500 Hillsboro, OR 97124
1-58270-049-4 $14.95

Being alone doesn't necessarily mean being a hermit: it can also be about escaping life's pressures and re-discovering one's self and strengths. The author spent six years living by himself on a remote beach: his experience, this personal experience, plus that of others who have lived alone, makes Celebrating Time Alone an intriguing book filled with insights.

Phaidon Press
180 Varick St., New York NY 10014
1-877-742-4366

Steven Bluttal edits Halston (0-7148-4106-4 $39.95), a visual anthology of his life and legacy as a fashion innovator. Rare photos by Warhol and others capture fashion shows, parties, and photos of Halston creations, with biographical and critical essays on his life and products accompanying an in-depth detail of his career. An excellent, outstanding coverage. Pipilotti Rist (3965-5, $35.00) provides the latest addition to Phaidon's 'Contemporary Artists' series, covering the Swiss video artist's exhibitions and life. Color photos of her installations showcase her art, while essays on her works and innovations provide further insights into her evolving video technology. Another recent addition to this series is Doug Aitken(3982-2, $35.00), which covers the video and installation artist's diverse large-scale productions. This also discusses contemporary video and installation art, surveys the unique productions of Aitken, and provides readers with an excellent narrative on the medium as a whole. Alistair Crawford's Mario Giacomelli (4159-5, $75.00) provides a definitive, weighty treatise on the modern photographer who used his typographic background as a guide in this work. This is the first comprehensive in-depth treatment of his art and provides a sequence of photos on various themes. All are outstanding treatments.

Beethoven's Anvil
William Benzon
Basic Books
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
0-465-01543-3 $27.50 1-800-242-7737

Music and culture are discussed, not with the usual artistic focus, but with a healthy blend of science and sociology added to the mix. Is music a luxury, an art, or a biological need? William Benzon's Beethoven's Anvil explores links between music and brain functioning, using the history of music and its evolution to draw some important arguments about music's importance to brain functioning as a whole.

Smart Wheels/Hot Deals
The Silver Lake Editors
Silver Lake Publishing
2025 Hyperion Avenue, L.A., CA 90027
1563437422 $11.95 1-888-663-3091

From the consumer's perspective, the new and used automobile marketplace has changed dramatically in recent months. Smart Wheels/Hot Deals: A Guide To The Best Car For The Right Money provides readers with all of the background information and bargaining tools they need to make smart, dollar-wise decisions about acquiring any car or truck for their personal or professional use. The topics covered including making a deal for a new car; buying versus leasing; finding the right used car; negotiating over a used car; how auto insurance works; shopping for auto insurance; making an auto insurance claim; warranties and service contracts; managing repairs; dealing with a lemon; sell a car; and getting out of a lease. If you are considering the purchase of a new or used vehicle, begin with a careful reading of Smart Wheels/Hot Deals to save money, time, and aggravation.

Wine People
Stephen Brook
Vendome Press
1370 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
0865652481 $27.50 1-888-330-8477

Wine People by Stephen Brook (contributing editor for Decanter magazine) is an impressive and informative collection of forty portraits of individual people who devote their professional lives to the many different nuances of wine production and consumption, from the wine creators and salesmen to critics and connoisseurs. Lush, full-page color photographs abound in this highly engaging account, written by a respected wine fancier for anyone who wants to know more about wine and the people who make it. Wine People is an appealing, fascinating, fact-filled book, and highly recommended for cultured wine devotees and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in learning more about the personalities and professions that comprise the wines and wineries of today!

Mariner/Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
1-800-225-3362

Three classics by the distinguished writer and economist John Kenneth Galbriath aptly demonstrate the range and scope of his abilities and insights. The Essential Galbraith (0-618-11963-9, $16.00) provides key selections form some of his most notable works, particular in the areas of economics & history. Name-Dropping (15453-1, $14.00) examines the greatest public leaders of modern times - from a personal viewpoint which comes packed with reminiscences and anecdotes. A Tenured Professor (15455-8, $13.00) presents a novel which comments on morality and economics in society. All are exceptional demonstrations of a wide range of philosophical and writing talent.

Extreme Beauty
Harold Koda
Yale University Press
302 Temple St., New Haven, CT 06520
0-300-09117-6 $40.00 1-800-987-7323

Harold Koda's Extreme Beauty surveys concepts of fashion and beauty. Koda considers the evolving, changing strategies of beauty around the world, focussing on different body parts and how they are accented and displayed through varying uses of clothing and cultural perception. Black and white and color photos of unusual fashion choices and styles make for some eye-opening insights.

Wholeness
Alex Gerber Jr.
Gerber Educational Resources
P.O. Box 2997, Kirkland, WA 98083
0963536710 $20.00 wholenessbook.com

Wholeness: On Education, Buckminster Fuller, and Tao is a treatise divided into three main chapters; as its subtitle suggests, the chapters focus upon Education, Buckminster Fuller, and the Tao. Unifying the theme of this scholarly, superbly crafted presentation is the concept of wholeness and how it applies to life in a world where so many are often blind to the whole picture that encompasses the countless different threads that make up the tapestry of global events. Six appendixes offer further selected readings and more thought on the interdependence of world problems. Highly recommended for philosophical and educational studies collections and reading lists, Wholeness is a scholarly, vital look at the unifying factors connecting diverse global problems today.



The Artbook Shelf

Augustus W. Dunbier, Lonnie Dunbier & Marcia Kmack
Western Edge Press
126 Candelario Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
1889921092 $24.95 1-505-988-7214

Augustus W. Dunbier: Paint For The Love Of Color by Lonnie Pierson Dunbier and Marcia Kmack is a wondrously beautiful, full-color art book featuring the most striking of Augustus Dunbier's paintings, some on full pages and others of his work represented four to a page. Beginning with 24 pages of biographical and narrative text, the rest of Augustus W. Dunbier: Paint for the Love of Color is devoted wholly to his vibrant, emotional, and sympathetic art, often featuring majestically rendered natural landscapes. Augustus W. Dunbier: Paint For The Love Of Color is highly recommended for personal, professional, and academic art history and reference collections.

View From Above
Wolfgang Tillmans
Distributed Art Publishers
575 Prospect St., Lakewood, NJ 08701
3-7757-1084-1 $45.00 1-800-338-2665

View From Above provides the first overview of Wolfgang Tillmans' works, from his contemporary portraits of urban environments to his abstract pictures produced without negatives, by exposing photo paper to light. Full-page photo displays allow for an easy viewing and appreciation of Tillmans' works and will introduce many a newcomer to his exciting approaches to subject and color.

Van Gogh's Table At The Auberge Ravoux
Alexandra Leaf & Fred Leeman
Artisan
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
1-57695-182-8 $35.00 1-800-722-7202

Van Gogh's Table At The Auberge Ravoux isn't just an art book, though Van Gogh's paintings form its foundation - it's also a survey of recipes from his last home, providing an intimate portrait of his world and culinary appreciations. Recipes are from the cafe and boarding house where the painter lived his final days, and provide intriguing views of dishes and art.

Van Gogh And Gauguin
Douglas W. Druick & Peter Kort Zegers
The Art Institute Of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603-6110
0865591946 $39.95 1-312-443-3600

Collaborative conservators and Art Institute of Chicago curators Douglas Druick and Peter Zegers have drawn upon the rich, scholarly literature, letters and writings, and new technical investigations focused on the artists Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, to present the most thorough, comprehensive, and insightful exploration of the Arles period to date. Landscapes and portraits painted in tandem by these two outstanding artists, their responses to each other, work together to envision vigorous dialogue occasioned by their strong personalities. Here presented for art students are fresh perspectives on Van Gogh and Gauguin's best-known works, as well as some of the more obscure aspects of their lives and their world. The informative, 424 page text is enhanced with 475 illustrations (300 of which are in full color). No personal, academic, or community library collection on the history of western art can be considered complete without the inclusion of Van Gogh And Gauguin: The Studio Of The South. This superb art history and analysis is also available in a hardcover format (Thames & Hudson, 0500510547, $65.00).

North Light/F&W
1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207
1-800-289-0963

Susan Bourdet's beautiful Painting The Allure Of Nature (1-58180-164-5, $28.99) provides watercolorists with a specific focus on how to capture nature's colors in realistic watercolor art. Using basic techniques for painting birds, flowers and backgrounds, this provides detailed exercises for creating a variety of scenes and professional-appearing results. Leslie Cabarga's Designer's Guide To Global Color Combinations (195-5, $35.00) is packed with over seven hundred color layouts done in CMYK and RGB which can be pulled in for print or web design. Formulas have been gathered from sources around the world and provide examples from all cultures. A unique professional designer's sourcebook.

Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115

These excellent treatises are recommended for college-level or scholarly art library collections: they offer in-depth views of different art philosophy observations. Umbro Appollonio edits Futurist Manifestos (0-87846-627-4, $17.95) traces the impact of a 1909 artistic statement published in a Paris newspaper which took the art world by storm as it reflected the classic art of the past and celebrated modern city life. Marinetti pioneered a new form which would represent motion and anti-classics sentiments. Jean Stewart edits Eugene Delacroix (632-0, $19.95), an informative selection of correspondence of the French Romantic visual artist. From his first letters written in his teens and twenties to his middle-aged writings and journeys, this collection makes a perfect adjunct to any studies on Delacroix's works. Leroy Breunig edits Apollinaire On Art (626-6, $19.95), a treatise on the Paris art world of the 20th century. From his observations of the intellectual and artistic markets and sentiments of his times to his insights on the latest influential modern artists, this provides a fine survey of the modernist's influential writings. Joe Earle's Netsuke covers fantasy and technique in Japanese miniature sculpture. Colleges which have sculpture courses and Japanese studies programs alike will find this an in-depth treatment of this miniaturist's specialty art, packed with color photos of sample products and observations of artists.



The Musicbook Shelf

Wagner's Ring
J.K. Holman
Amadeus Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
1574670700 $19.95 amadeuspress.com

Wagner's Ring, written and compiled by J.K. Holman, is an exhaustive listener's companion to the Wagnerian cycle of operas, intended to specifically delineate the subtle nuances of the musical plot. From mythological sources of the Ring operas to a full English translation of each character's lines to a close look at how the opera is stage, Wagner's Ring takes the reader through every possible aspect of the opera short of actually listening to it and seeing it performed. An excellent reference for broadening one's understanding of a timeless classic, Wagner's Ring is a strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library operatic music history and reference collections.

The Rise Of The Crooners
Michael Pitts, et al.
Scarecrow Press
4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
0810840812 $49.95 1-800-462-6420

Crooning was a distinctive music performance style that came into prominence during the Big Band era of the 1930s and 40s. Successful crooners like Rudy Vallee and Frank Sinatra became icons of the "bobbysox" generation of teenagers. Established crooners like Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett had decades long careers that including radio, movies, and television. In The Rise Of The Crooner, music historian Michael R. Pitts and Drank W. Hoffmann (Professor of Library Science, Sam Houston State University) are ably assisted by Dick Carty and Jim Bedoian to present an articulate, scholarly, informative, and engaging historical treatise surveying the trends, fads, events, and personalities that created this popular form of American music and its lasting impact on popular American culture. The "reader friendly", 312 paged text is enhanced with up-to-date biographies, bibliographies, and discographies making The Rise Of The Crooners an enthusiastically recommended addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library American music history collection.

Entrancing Muse
Carl B. Schmidt
Pendragon Press
P.O. Box 190
52 White Hill Lane, Hillsdale, NY 12529
1576470261 $64.00 1-518-325-6100

One of the Pendragon Press "Lives In Music" series, Carl Schmidt's Entrancing Muse: A Documented Biography Of Francis Poulenc surveys the life and work of a most notable composer who lived from 1899 to 1963. Packed cover to cover with a wealth of detailed lore about the man, his life, and his work, Entrancing Muse is a fascinating read especially recommended for anyone interested in the personality and life experiences of a man responsible for great and critically acclaimed music.

Aretha Franklin
Mark Bego
Da Capo Press/Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
0306809354 $17.50 1-800-242-7737

Now in an updated and expanded edition, Aretha Franklin: The Queen Of Soul is the compelling and inspiring biography of one of the most amazing, remarkable singers with a five-octave voice. The many challenges Aretha Franklin has faced in her life, from parental abandonment to the illness of her sister, are candidly recounted, along with her will to survive and prosper, which can clearly be heard in her soul-stirring music. Highly recommended reading for students of twentieth century American music history, as well as a "must" for all Aretha Franklin fans.

The History Of The Musical
Richard Fawkes
Naxos AudioBooks
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
9626347279 $22.98 1-877-629-6723

Richard Fawkes' The History Of The Musical is a flawlessly recorded, 4 cassette, unabridged audiobook showcasing the development of the musical, from its origins in European light opera and operetta to its it's golden age in the American theater. The great song composers and lyricists are presented including Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Lloyd Webber, and Sondheim. The wonderfully narrated text by the award-winning Broadway singer Kim Criswell is enhanced with almost one hundred famous musical extracts. The History Of The Musical is a "must" for personal, academic, and community library music history and audiobook collections.

Black Bottom Stomp
David Jasen & Gene Jones
Routledge
29 West 35th St., NY, NY 10001-2299
041593642X $29.95 1-800-634-7064

Eight major figures in jazz and ragtime American music from Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton to James P. Johnson are selected for feature in David Jasen and Gene Jones' Black Bottom Stomp. In using their lives and music as a starting point, the authors reveal how they shaped the direction of jazz music and the social and musical issues which challenged their successes. An inviting, revealing account jazz fans will appreciate.



The Military Shelf

Swarming On The Battlefield
Sean J. A. Edwards
RAND/NBN, dist.
1700 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138
0833027794 $12.00 1-877-584-8642

Swarming On The Battlefield: Past, Present, And Future by Sean Edwards is a slim yet densely packed and insightful analysis of swarming as a military tactic, with a keen eye to its use in history. Heavily annotated and featuring numerous black-and-white diagrams to better illustrate its concepts, Swarming On The Battlefield is excellent, fascinating reading for historical recreationists, as well as students and non-specialist general readers with a keen interest in military science.

Dorrance Publishing Company
643 Smithfield St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222
1-800-788-7654

Two titles provide important insights. Marguerite Patterson's Woman's Guide To The Army From A Survivor (0-8059-5518-6, $13.00) examines the pros and cons of women's experiences in the military. Patterson tells of her life as a young recruit but accompanies her autobiography with a second section detailing entry requirements, questions which should be asked before entering the army, rankings, and more. James Coyne's An Eagle's Flight (5585-2, $15.00) details the adventures of one Ernest Warburton, who was a test pilot for the US military flying during the 1920s and 30s in newfound high test flight speeds. His career and experiences come to life in this biographical coverage.

Brigade
Howard Blum
HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
0-06-019486-3 $26.00 1-800-242-7737

This World War II saga takes on a different presentation than most about the era, telling of the first Jewish army in modern times who participated in a covert plan to execute Nazis after the war - and their transition to helping European orphans and the making of Israel. Howard Blum's Brigade is an unusual military coverage of changed sentiments and perspectives.

Soldiers Of God
Robert D. Kaplan
Vintage/Random House
1-4000-3025-0 $14.00

World affairs expert Robert Kaplan traveled to Afghanistan in the 1980s and lived among the ardent Islamic 'soldiers of god': Kaplan's Soldiers Of God assumes new importance in the face of recent events and includes a return a decade later to much-changed conditions. Any who would seek to understand Islamic warriors in the region should place this near the top of their reading lists. A new introduction and final chapters appears in this timely reprint.

Rockets Like Rain
Dale E. Reich
Hellgate Press/PSI Research
Box 3727, Central Point, Oregon 97502
1555716156 $15.95 hellgatepress.com

Rockets Like Rain: A Year In Vietnam is the memoir of a soldier who survived the Vietnam War when ten of his fellows (all from the small town of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin) were killed. Taut, powerful, unforgettable, and at its core very frightening, Dale Reich's Rockets Like Rain is a clear portrayal of the horrors of war and the unspeakable demands made upon a generation. Highly recommended for military buffs in general, and students of the Viet Nam conflict in particular.

The Lost Battalion
John W. Nell
Historical Publishing Network
8491 Leslie Rd., San Antonio, TX 78254
1893619192 $8.95 1-800-749-9790

The Lost Battalion: A Private's Story is a unique, first-person perspective memoir of John W. Nell, one of the privates involved in the World War I "Lost Battalion" incident. Published 83 years after the events it relates, The Lost Battalion is a gripping tale of courage, terror, and survival. The Lost Battalion was not in fact "lost" at all. They were cut off and surrounded by German forces. They held out against incredible odds (including an artillery barrage of "friendly fire" from the American lines) until their presence compelled the German forces to retreat and American forces to finally reach them. World War I ended five weeks after this dramatic battle took place. A scattering of black and white photographs illustrate this slim but compelling story. The Lost Battalion is an essential addition to any World War I studies collection or reading list.



The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Damn! Why Didn't I Write That?
Marc McCutcheon
Quill Driver Books
1831 Industrial Way #101, Sanger, CA 93657
1-884956-17-3 $14.95 1-800-497-4909

The focus of Marc McCutcheon's Damn! Why Didn't I Write That? is on profitable nonfiction book-writing, the audience is the would-be author who wants to make good income doing so, and the approach provides guidelines on how to identify lucrative publishing niches and how to fill them again and again. Practical ideas for any who would not only get published, but make a living in the writing world.

The Writer's Guide To Queries, Pitches & Proposals
Moira Allen
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd St, Suite 210, NY, NY 10010
1-58115-099-7 $16.95 1-800-491-2808

Writers need to develop strong proposals to even get their work read: Moira Allen's The Writer's Guide To Queries, Pitches & Proposals provides both beginning and experienced writers with tips and practical examples on how to write queries for publications ranging from books to columns. Insights on approaches which work also provide keys to understanding the publishing industry as a whole.

The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature
Philip Martin
The Writer Books/Kalmbach Pub.
Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
0871161958 $16.95 1-800-533-6644

Philip Martin's The Writer's Guide To Fantasy Literature: From Dragon's Lair To Hero's Quest is a collection of informative essays specifically written to help both aspiring and established writers improve the quality of their work, and create fantasy worlds to suspend disbelief and capture the imagination. Essay contributors include such notable talents as Patricia A. McKillip, Jane Yolen, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Peter S. Beagle. Chapters and essays cover such issues as generating ideas, constructing a coherent plot, and enhancing settings with your own brand of magic. The Writer's Guide To Fantasy Literature is a truly inspiring and insightful "must-read" for anyone looking to improve their fantasy writing - and the majority of its tips, tricks, and techniques would also apply to the writing of science fiction, historical fiction, or genre novels of any sort!

Up the Bestseller Lists!
Kathleen Brehony & Karen Jones
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
158062409X $12.95 adamsmedia.com

Up the Bestseller Lists!: A Hands-On Guide to Successful Book Promotion is an enthusiastic, upbeat, and information-packed primer for any aspiring author looking to earn a niche on the coveted bestseller lists. Chapters cover everything from getting your book into the bookstore, cyberspace publicity, self-promotion, book signings, print media, contract negotiations, and much, much more. A superbly presented, down-to-earth, "user friendly", basic reference easily accessible to the lay reader, Up the Bestseller Lists! is a "must" for anyone looking to turn a profit on the words they have labored so long and hard to get published.

Publishing For Small Press Runs
Gary Michael Smith
Chatgris Press
Box 15092, New Orleans, LA 70175-5092
096583803X $19.95 chatgrispress.com

Now available in an updated second edition, Gary Smith's Publishing For Small Press Runs: How To Print And Market From 20 To 200 Copies Of Your Book is a hard, candid, practical look at the serious obstacles to the economic viability of small press publishers. The most profound problem confronting the independent publisher or self-published author, is that small presses lack economy of scale, i.e. they are publishing fewer numbers of their book(s) for with a higher per unit cost. Informative and insightful chapters specifically address how to make the best of small press economic realities and still turn a healthy profit by carefully controlling costs. Publishing For Small Press Runs is an absolute "must" for self-publishers or executives of small presses who seek to profit from tens to hundreds of books, rather than the more traditional tens of thousands of copies traditionally produced by the large corporate publishing houses.



The Fiction Shelf

Granddaddy's Dirt
Brian Egeston
Carter-Krall Publishers
42155 Rue Saint Dominique, Suite 207, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
0967550599 $23.00 1-404-784-1176

Brian Egeston's Granddaddy's Dirt is a riveting story of past crimes perpetuated on to the next generation, as a grandfather's unthinking manslaughter brings cruel consequences upon his grandson years later. The adult grandson must come to terms with the awful truth about his family while threatened with the worst flood Albany, Georgia has experienced in five hundred years. Granddaddy's Dirt is a serious tale with a touch of wry humor about the crushing impact of negative karma, gripping and strongly recommended fare for contemplative readers.

Harcourt Inc.
525 'B' St. #1900, San Diego, CA 92101
1-800-543-1918

Arturo Perez-Reverte's Nautical Chart (0-15-100534-6, $26.00) will appeal to two audiences: fans of mysteries and those who like a good action-packed seafaring adventure. A suspended sailor meets a beautiful woman obsessed with a Jesuit ship sunk by pirates and finds himself on the treasure hunt of a lifetime, with romance and adventure the lures. Gripping and exciting. Robert Wilson's Company Of Strangers (100846-9, $25.00) provides a thriller set in 1944 and posing the character of one Andrea, mathematician and spy who makes a new identity for herself; and Karl, involved in subversive work against his Nazi homeland. Add romance in a world of violence and intrigue and you have a gripping, changing plot.

Knopf
299 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10171
1-800-726-0600

Chaim Potok's latest Old Men At Midnight (0-375-41071-6, $23.00) provides a trilogy of novellas about a woman whose life touches three different men: one Ilana Dinn, who becomes involved in the lives and sentiments of war survivors. From her offering of English lessons to a teen survivor of the camps to her association with a professor trying to write a military history of memoirs, this is a moving presentation. Alice Munro's Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (41300-6, $24.00) provides a set of pleasing short stories which specialize in unexpected twists and turns of events experienced by ordinary people. From a college student's family secret to a young cancer patient's good news, this provides an excellent range of plots and experiences.

It's My Body And I'll Cry If I Want To
Sharleen Jonasson
Bold Books and Publishing
P.O. Box 42046, 2200 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria, BC V8R 6T4
0968709400 $14.99 1-250-370-0344

It's My Body And I'll Cry If I Want To by Sharleen Jonasson is a fast-paced, wry, and cruelly cynical look at the not-too-distant future of the beauty industry. A broken-down lapsed feminist is given a seemingly plumb freelance investigative journalism assignment - to infiltrate an elite beauty clinic and learn about a potentially deadly new treatment. Money, power, greed, and agendas spiral out of control in this dark and exciting story.

Leisure Books/Dorchester Publishing
276 - 5th Ave., New York NY 10001
1-800-481-9191

Douglas Clegg's Infinite (0-8439-4927-9, $20.00) is a most satisfying albeit subtle story of horror which revolves around the experiences of very different personalities brought together to investigate a haunted house. It's a pleasure to see a ghost story which depends upon psychological insights and a slow buildup of horror for its climax, rather than bloodletting alone. Dennis Etchison edits Museum Of Horrors (4928-7, $24.00), which provides a range of stories by celebrated horror authors from Peter Straub to Joyce Carol Oates and Ramsey Campbell. These are new stories for this collection and represent the best in horror writing.



The Travel Shelf

Ulysses Press
Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703-3440
1-800-377-2542

Florida-bound vacationers who seek good take-long destination totes will welcome the updated editions of Hidden Florida Keyes And Everglades (1-56975-268-0, $12.95) and Hidden Walt Disney World (267-2, $13.95): each provides selective recommendations and opinionated, critical reviews of accommodations, restaurants, and sightseeing opportunities with a special focus on lesser-known attractions. The focus on outdoors and lesser-known but special places sets these apart from Frommers and others which highlight the well-known. Highly recommended.

Historic Walks In San Francisco
Rand Richards
Heritage House
Box 194242, San Francisco CA 94119
1-879367-03-3 $18.95

Rand Richards' Historic Walks In San Francisco provides 18 self-guided walks and requires only access to San Francisco streets in order to prove inviting. Pair stories about the suites and buildings and the colorful characters which surround them with anecdotes of San Francisco history and you have a superb travel book which does double duty as both a destination guide and as an excellent San Francisco survey.



The Photography Shelf

The Oregon Trail
Bill & Jan Moeller
Mountain Press Publishing Company
Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
0-87842-442-3 $18.00 1-800-234-5308

Minimal text and a focus on photographic quality make for a lovely visual journey over the Oregon Trail which places one color plate with facing text per page. Accounts of Oregon Trail life and travels make for a history account which is personal and enhanced with modern portraits of the Trail.

Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
1-800-622-3278

These art guides will appeal to art libraries with students eager to learn new techniques. Steven Begleiter's Art Of Color Infrared Photography (1-58428-065-4, $29.95) tells how to use color infrared to expand techniques and results. Chapters cover the basics for newcomers to infrared; from selecting filters and handling films to understanding color shifts and changed exposure needs. J.D. Wacker's Master Posing Guide For Portrait Photographers (057-3, $29.95) reveals major applications for natural poses which make subjects look their best. From building relationships which encourage such posing to achieving stress-free results on both sides of the camera, this will especially appeal to any who would master professional techniques. Bert Krages Esq.'s Legal Handbook For Photographers (059-X, $19.95) tells how to avoid liability and risk by learning a photographer's rights on the legal to federal levels. From applications for public and private photography to privacy concerns and copyrights, this is filled with practical advice. Users of Adobe Photoshop will welcome Traditional Photographic Effects by Michelle Perkins & Paul Grant (056-5, $29.95): it tells how to use the program to touch up digital shots, from reducing red-eye and creating realistic motion blur to sandwiching images and simulating sepia. Plenty of examples accompany practical tips.

Aperture
20 East 23rd St., New York NY 10010
1-800-929-2323

Two excellent new releases are recommended picks from Apeture, the primier photography publishing company. John Kelly's superbly preseented John Kelly (0-89381-962-X, $40.00) is the artist's own book design - eye-catching with its unusual holographic cover - which captures his art on paper. Different cultural icons and portraits blend with performance texts and his own reflections to bring together images of people and insights into their lives. An excellent contemporary coverage. Barbara Ess' I Am Not This Body (936-0, $40.00) features essays by a variety of writers as Ess uses her 'inhole camera' to photograph unseen worlds of thought and emotion. This is the first major catalog of her work and provides almost a hundred images probing the underlying impact of everyday objects. The color photos are outstanding.



The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Family Caregiver's Journal
Hank Bruce
Petals & Pages Press
30548 St. Andrews Blvd., Sorrento, FL 32776
078801434X $14.95 1-352-383-2704

With the aging of the general population, and with the continuing tolls of injuries and illness, the role of the caregiver for the terminally ill is touching the lives of more and more people. Caregivers feel the full range of emotions that can include grief, bewilderment, isolation, stress, and exhaustion. Hank Bruce has written The Family Caregiver's Journal: A Guide To Facing The Terminal Illness Of A Loved One to help those charged with providing care for a dying family member by preparing them with what they can generally expect. This is also a work that will inspire caregiving as it explores the opportunities for love, grow and discovery that the end-of-life process has to offer. There are quotes, short stories, poems, and pages where the caregiver can give record their own feelings, and personally memorialize this most personal and intimate of responsibilities in our human associations with one another. The Family Caregiver's Journal is strongly recommended for anyone charged with the responsibility for the care of a loved one in their final days.

Diet-Steps
Fred A. Stutman, M.D.
Medical Manor Books
3501 Newberry Rd Philadelphia PA 19154
0934232091 $25.95 1-800-343-8464

Dr. Stutman's Diet-Steps: 20 Grams/20 Minutes For Women Only is unique among diet and fitness books with its exclusively emphasis for women of all ages, body-builds, and levels of physical fitness. Featured is a quick, effective, and safe weight-loss plan based on a healthy diet of 20 grams of fat and 20 grams of fiber. Also included is a 20-minute aerobic exercise-walking program combined with easy strength-training exercise for complete cardiovascular fitness. Of immense value for any woman wanting to significantly improve her personal health and well-being, Diet-Steps is especially recommended for women with limited free time.

Canyon Ranch Guide To Living Younger Longer
Canyon Ranch Staff & Len Sherman
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, NY NY 10020
0-684-87136-X $30.00 1-800-223-2336

Canyon Ranch Guide To Living Younger Longer provides a program for optimal health of mind and body and is based on the programs of Canyon Ranch, a health resort known for helping many. The latest information on how the body ages is used to develop preventative programs through yoga, exercise, and mindful eating patterns. An excellent general health guide.

Nurses Know!
Edward M. Pallette, M.D.
Empathy Publishing
1038 E. Bastanchury Road, PMB #301, Fullerton, CA 92635
0971010439 $15.95 1-714-402-0738

Nurses Know! What Happened To Health Care? What Can We Do About It? by Dr. Edward Pallette ( a general surgeon with forty years of experience in the medical field) is a starkly compelling guide specifically written for those wishing to take charge of their health care before it is too late. From becoming an informed voter to spotting the telltale warning of and protecting oneself from medical fraud, Nurses Know! goes beyond the vast expertise of hardworking professional nurses to educate the reader against medical pitfalls he or she may not have guessed existed. Strongly recommended reading, Nurses Know! is particularly appropriate reading for health care activists and consumers in this modern era of health care crises.

Prostate Cancer Sourcebook
Dawn Matthews, Editor
Omnigraphics
615 Griswold, Detroit, MI 48226
0-7808-0324-8 $78.00 1-800-234-1340

Any who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer or who seek information on early detection and treatment will find this an important basic reference. The Omnigraphics' Prostate Cancer Sourcebook describes symptoms of cancer, risk factors, and treatment options and includes all the resources necessary for consumers to understand the problems.

The Prostate Diet Cookbook
Buffy Sanders
Harbor Press/NBN, dist.
5713 Wollochet Drive, NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
0936197420 $23.95 harborpress.com

Buffy Sanders originally created the recipes comprising The Prostate Diet Cookbook: Cancer-Fighting Foods For A Healthy Prostate when her husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer and was given only 18 months to live. That was five years ago. Buffy's diet led to a spectacular turn-around and today her husband leads a normal, active, cancer-free life. The 185 recipes are practical, nutritious, delicious, and kitchen cook friendly. The Prostate Diet Cookbook is very strongly recommended for anyone with a family member or friend who is endangered by or is at risk for cancer of the prostate.

Yoga: Mastering The Basics
Sandra Anderson & Rolf Sovik, Psy. D.
The Himalayan Institute Press
RR 1, Box 405, Honesdale, PA 18431
089389155X $24.95 1-800-822-4547

Beautifully illustrated on nearly every page with countless black-and-white photographs demonstrating classic poses, Yoga: Mastering The Basics is a superb introductory guide to yoga -- an ancient practice for benefiting health and flexibility. The text is straightforward, written in language anyone new to yoga will easily understand, as it teaches how to gradually and safely immerse oneself in this truly remarkable discipline. The wealth of information herein is so exhaustive even long-time practitioners are sure to find something new. Yoga: Mastering The Basics is very highly recommended for both beginning and experienced students of yoga disciplines.

My Reflexologist Says Feet Don't Lie
Kevin Kunz and Barbara Kunz
RRP Press
P.O. Box 35820, Albuquerque, NM 87176
0960607072 $9.95 foot-reflexologist.com

My Reflexologist Says Feet Don't Lie by professional reflexologists Kevin and Barbara Kunz is a brief, easily understandable introduction and overview to the subject of foot reflexology, which is the practice of stimulating pressure sensors in the feet to promote better health and wellness. Drawing upon their twenty-five years of reflexology experience, Kevin and Barbara Kunz write in language easily accessible to any lay reader wanting to learn more about this historic and venerable health practice. Black-and-white photographs as well as a color photograph section illustrate the many points to be made about human feet. My Reflexologist Says Feet Don't Lie is highly recommended for anyone curious about reflexology and its benefits.

Sound, Movement, And Tears
Cynthia Herman
Earth Mirth Adventure
P.O. Box 4231, Peoria, IL 61607
0965555801 $14.95 1-310-456-2076

Sound, Movement, And Tears: The Natural Way To Release Illness And Stress, Be Loved, Be Rich, And Be Thin addresses using and experiencing emotion as a way to guard against and lesson the impact of illness. Written upon the principle that "Emotion is not mental - it's a physical change in our cells," it follows that emotions do not simply vanish, but must be released specifically through personal responses to negative events. Refusing to cry leads to physically sickness inside. Recommended for students of personal spirituality, self-help approaches, and New Thought metaphysics, Sound, Movement, And Tears is a provocative yet deeply argued call for self-honesty and self-acceptance, especially appropriate reading in a modern world that still drums in the highly destructive message that only "sissies" cry.

Fireside/Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, NY, NY 10020
1-800-223-2336

These Harvard Medical School health guides cover the latest research and findings on an array of common health problems and will provide lending libraries with affordable health references. The Aging Eye (0-7432-1503-6, $13.00) tells how consumers can prevent and treat macular degeneration, cataracts, and other problems. Chapters cover common symptoms, their meaning, and possible treatment options. Dr. Robert Barbieri, et.al.'s Six Steps To Increased Fertility (85523-2, $13.00) provides a six-step fertility enhancement program from Harvard which outlines options couples can choose to aid in the quest to obtain pregnancy. The Sensitive Gut (1504-4, $13.00) reveals self-help tips to understanding and treating reflux disease, dyspepsia and other common stomach problems. Michael Weinblatt, MD's Arthritis Action Program (86803-2, $14.00) covers the latest research on arthritis, from new medications and exercises designed to improve balance and movement to tips on protecting joints and understanding surgery options. All are excellent guides for home or library reference collections.



The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Ultimate Doll Book
Caroline Goodfellow
Metrobooks/Friedman/Fairfax
230 - 5th Ave, #700, NY, NY 10021
1-58663-234-5 $14.98 1-800-367-9692

Doll collectors and fans will find Caroline Goodfellow's Ultimate Doll Book to be a fine, colorful guide showcasing more than 400 dolls ranging from 18th century simple peg woodens, to 19th century French fashion dolls, down through today's Barbie & Ken. Chapters are packed with color images and even more important, provide portraits of the dolls clothed and unclothed along with identification tips based on structural details. From rag dolls to baby dolls and national dolls, this is packed with insights.

Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
1-800-626-5420

Three excellent guides will provide collectors with important reference materials for valuing and identifying their finds. The 13th edition of Flea Market Trader (1-57432-250-8, $9.95) features thousands of items with current values, from cereal boxes and glassware to fast-food collectibles. It's basically a values guide which will be useful for those focussing on flea market finds for resale or investment. Richard Holiner and Stuart Kammerman's Advertising Paperweights (1-57432-255-9, $24.95) provides a pictorial value guide and history to paperweights of various types, from advertisements for companies and products to those cast in brass or glass. Harold Smith, M.D.'s Collector's Encyclopedia Of Creek Chub (245-1, $29.95) appears in its second edition to update identification and values of lures and fishing-related collectibles. Color photos pack a guide which includes the latest history and details. All are fine specific collector's references.

The Collector's Guide To Switchblade Knives
Richard Langston
Paladin Press
PO Box 1307, Boulder, CO 80306
1581602839 $49.95 1-800-466-6868

In The Collector's Guide To Switchblade Knives: An Illustrated Historical And Price Reference Richard Langston draws from his immense expertise and personal collection to present a fully updated and completely reliable history of the switchblade knife in American history. This comprehensive, "reader friendly" guide will enable novice and experienced collectors alike to identify all kinds of automatic knives from museum-quality antiques to the knife in the back of the bureau drawer gathering dust for the last decade. Using a dual grading system, dealers, owners, and collectors are provided with a reference offering an honest appraisal of more than 160 automatic knives based on manufacturer, tang markings, condition, availability, functioning, opening mechanism, hand, and blade materials. The Collector's Guide To Switchblade Knives is especially recommended for switchblade enthusiasts, collectors, dealers, historians, and writers seeking background authenticity for their stories involving an form of automatic knife.

Gemstone Press
Route 4, Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091

Three excellent buying guides will appeal to a wide audience; from collectors of gemstones and jewelry to those who want a basic buying guide for contemporary gems. Antoinette Matlins' Colored Gemstones (0-943763-33-9, $16.95) provides all the basics needed to buy, collect and sell sapphires, emeralds, and other gemstones. From understanding the basic factors which denote quality in a gem to evaluating different types of gems and asking the right questions when buying, this is packed with guidelines. The more general Matlins title, co-authorized by A.C. Bonanno, Jewelry & Gems: The Buying Guide (22-3, $17.95) includes jewelry pieces along with its tips on how to purchase diamonds, pearls, and other items. This 4th expanded edition includes the latest tips for buyers: everything from assessing the color and patterns of stones to understanding rackets and costly 'bargains'. Anna Miller's Cameos Old And New (17-7, $19.95) also appears in its second edition, newly revised and expanded to provide the latest facts on appraising, buying and selling cameos. From the factors influencing cameo values to photos of sample pieces and examples of sample antique values, this covers everything from cameo artistry to modern collectibles. All are excellent, in-depth coverages.



The American History Shelf

Harlem World
John L. Jackson Jr.
University of Chicago Press
1427 E. 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637-2954
0-226-38998-7 $30.00 1-800-621-2736

Harlem is the center of black culture and history: Harlem World reveals a probe of the region which uses interviews with a cross-section of Harlem residents to offer new insights into the lives and attitudes of modern Harlem dwellers. What evolves is a multi-faceted examination of new Harlem lifestyles.

Maximum Danger
Robert Weisbrot
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622
1-56663-392-3 $27.50 1-800-462-6420

Robert Weisbrot's Maximum Danger provides another cogent analysis of the Kennedy/Cuba crisis: this from the viewpoint of Kennedy's overall attitude toward the Soviet Union's growing missile strength. Weisbrot argues that John Kennedy attempted to minimize confrontations with the Soviets, pursuing different options to avert the crisis. Maximum Danger provides an engaging, thoughtful series of different viewpoints about the missile crisis.

The Violent Years
Paul R. Kavieff
Barricade Books
185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 308-A, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
1569802106 $22.00 barricadebooks.com

In The Violent Years: Prohibition And The Detroit Mobs, author Paul Kavieff draws upon his many years of meticulous research to provide an accurate, harsh, brutal look at the tremendous wealth and unspeakable savagery of organized crime in Prohibition-era Detroit. Turning an unflinching spotlight upon the gangster's worst excesses, The Violent Years pulls no punches in its sordid, factual, carefully researched account. Also highly recommended for students of organized crime in twentieth century American history is Paul Kavieff's companion volume The Purple Gang: Organized Crime In Detroit 1910-1945 (1569801479, $22.00).

Ubiquity
Mark Buchanan
Crown Books
299 Park Avenue, New York NY 10171
0-609-60810-X $24.00 1-800-726-0600

In 1914 a chauffeur's wrong turn resulted in a war which changed history forever. Ubiquity documents imbalances and small events which tipped balances and historical experiences, examining the 'critical state' in which instability can be brought about by very small changes. Students studying history and the evolution of cultures will find this particularly involving.

Once Upon A Time In Los Angeles
Michael Lance Trope
The Arthur H. Clark Company
PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214
0870623052 $24.95 1-800-842-9286

Once Upon A Time In Los Angeles: The Trials Of Earl Rogers by Michael Trope is an eminently readable account of a prosecutor whose Los Angeles career lasted from 1897 to 1918, and whose trials defending such notable figures as Clarence Darrow, heavyweight champion Jess Willard and United Railroad chief Patrick Calhoun contributed to his fame and celebrity. Once Upon A Time In Los Angeles is a fascinating look at the L.A. judicial system of a century past. Highly recommended for student of American legal history, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the life and times of this famous lawyer, or the nature of the turn-of-the-century Los Angeles legal system he knew so well.

The American Revolution
Mary A. Y. Gallagher
Krieger Publishing Company
Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
1575240734 $19.95 1-800-724-0025

The creation of United States, as it arose from the violent struggle of the American Revolution, was profoundly influenced by colonial politics, economics, and social diversity of the populace. Indeed, it was the British demands for taxation to compensate them for the funding of the French & Indian War in defense of the colonies just a few years earlier that precipitated the war for independence. Mary Gallagher draws upon her impressive expertise to especially showcase the tensions between public and private interests among the participants of the Revolution in this 242 page "reader friendly" historical survey. The American Revolution: A Short History is strongly recommended for all academic and community library American history collections.

Rainbow's End: Crash Of 1929
Maury Klein
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Ave., NY, NY 10016-4314
0-19-513516-4 $27.50 1-800-451-7556

Maury Klein's Rainbow's End: Crash Of 1929 reveals the story of the Wall Street stock market collapse in 1929 using a narrative which focuses as much on the cultural and economic forces at work during the times as it does of the actual crash and the nation's descent into depression. Was the crash an unusual event in which coincidence played more than a small role? An intriguing argument is presented, here.

Chelsea House
1974 Sproul Road, #400, Broomall, PA 19008
1-800-848-2665

Two weighty references are recommended picks for college-level or history library collections: they are fine specialty items. Certain to receive much consultation is Arthur Schlesinger and Fred Israel's I Do Solemnly Swear (0-7910-6620-7, $49.95), a collection of the inaugural addresses of the Presidents of the U.S. from 1789-2001. First and second addresses are included for those who have had a second opportunity to govern in this fine guide. Even more specific for college-level collections is James Richardson's collection Messages And Papers Of Jefferson Davis And The Confederacy ($149.95/set), which appears in a 2-volume set (6644-4). While the recommended age level starts at 13, it is more likely to be the advanced high school into college-level student who will appreciate the depth in these volumes.



The Money/Finance Shelf

Diamond Ring Buying Guide
Renee Newman GG
International Jewelry Publications
PO Box 13384, Los Angeles, CA 90013-0384
0929975324 $17.95 1-626-282-3781

Now in a completely updated and expanded sixth edition, Renee Newman's Diamond Ring Buying Guide continues to be an indispensable and invaluable reference which is enhanced with 104 new photos and additional information on diamond cuts, treatments, fluorescence, transparency, color, platinum, ring, and setting styles. Ideal for both the professional dealer, the collector and antiquarian, as well as the non-specialist general reader wanting to procure something truly special for a loved one, the Diamond Ring Buying Guide is the ideal illustrated guide.

Busy Woman's Guide To Financial Freedom
Vickie Bajtelsmit
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0-8144-7108-0 $17.95 1-800-250-5308

Vickie Bajtelsmit's Busy Woman's Guide To Financial Freedom is a superbly presented guide to personal finance telling women how to gain more control over finances; from tracking where money is spent to choosing health and insurance plans and taking advantage of tax-preferred methods of saving. From buying a house to daily budgeting and credit card management, this is filled with fine tips.

Bulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered
Anthony Gallea
Prentice-Hall/NY Institute Finance
240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652
0-7352-0145-5 $24.00 1-800-631-8571

This collection of investment wisdom tips is easy to follow and not as dense as competitors - yet it presents solid investment advise organized around maxims. From standard perceptions about stocks beating bonds in the long run (Bulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered tells why) to advice on how to ignore the 'experts' - and when - enjoy a book packed with tips and easily-followed strategies.



The Architecture Shelf

The Eclectic Odyssey Of Atlee B. Ayres, Architect
Robert James Coote
Texas A&M University Press
Drawer C, College Station, TX 77843
1585441228 $50.00 1-800-826-8911

In The Eclectic Odyssey Of Atlee B. Ayres, Architect, Robert Coote (professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Texas, Austin) informatively surveys thirty years of the architectural career of Atlee Ayres, focusing on Ayres' residential architecture in the San Antonio suburbs of Monte Vista, Olmos Park, and Terrell-Hills. It is in these architectural designs that Ayres' eclecticism is most apparent. Coote studies twenty-five of Ayres' houses in detail including their plans, spaces, exteriors, materials, and structure. Additionally, Coote describes Ayres' architectural education, travels, and career highlights. Highly recommended for professional and academic architectural reference collections, The Eclectic Odyssey Of Atlee B. Ayres, Architect is a superbly presented treatise on the work and career of a most remarkable American architect.

Monumental Classic Architecture In Great Britain And Ireland
Albert Richardson
Dover Publications
11 East Second St., Mineola, NY 11501
0-486-41534-1 $19.95 1-800-223-3130

Albert Richardson's Monumental Classic Architecture In Great Britain And Ireland covers the achievements of Georgian architect Sir William Chambers and his contemporaries, revealing the buildings which have become masterpieces of British architecture. Dover here reproduces unabridged a production which first appeared in 1982, covering different phases of British classic architectural design and including black and white photos throughout.

Fairlawn
Tom Davis
Trails Books
Box 317, Black Earth, WI 53515-0317
0915024896 $29.95 1-800-236-8088

Fairlawn was originally a palatial Victorian mansion built by Martin Pattison on the shores of Lake Superior. It became a children's home in later years. Enhanced with dozens of period and contemporary photographs, Fairlawn: Restoring The Splendor documents the challenges, dedication, and demand for perfection that resulted in the restoration of this magnificent historic home from the strains and damage of generations of use and neglect that brought it to the brink of demolition. Fairlawn is strongly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in landmark architecture renovation and preservation -- as well as students of Midwest architectural history.

Home And Condo Defects
Thomas E. Miller & Rachel M. Miller
Seven Locks Press
P.O. Box 25689, Santa Ana, CA 92799
0929765834 $9.95 1-800-354-5348

Home And Condo Defects: A Consumer Guide To Faulty Construction by Thomas and Rachel Miller offer the non-specialist general reader a wealth of information and resources designed specifically for homeowners, and presented in direct, straightforward language for the lay person. Its primary purpose is not a do-it-yourself repair book, but rather a guide to complex and variable legal codes covering what is a defect, what a homeowner's responsibilities are, the responsibilities of the insurance companies, and what to do if one is sued or forced to sue. An extremely practical book, Home And Condo Defects is a "must" for every homeowner stranded in today's increasingly complex and problematic legal system.



The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Key To The Center Of The Universe
Hermann Kuhn
Crosswind Publishing
P.O. Box 3312, Incline Village, NV 89450
3980621189 $15.00 1-310-456-2076

In The Key To The Center Of The Universe, Hermann Kuhn draws upon his more than twenty-five years of studies in Eastern philosophy and mysticism to present the first practicable English translation of the "tattvarthasutra", an ancient manuscript of Indian philosophy, including precise descriptions of insights into other modes of consciousness. A unique and highly thought-provoking philosophy book filled with fascinating theories, The Key To The Century Of The Universe is a very welcome and insightful contribution to the growing library of Eastern Philosophy now available to a western readership.

Edgar Cayce's Atlantis And Lemuria
Frank Joseph
ARE Press
215 - 67th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-2061
0876044348 $16.95 1-888-723-1112

In Edgar Cayce's Atlantis And Lemuria: The Lost Civilizations In The Light Of Modern Discoveries, Frank Joseph (editor-in-Chief of the popular science magazines "Ancient American") examines through the means of archaeological and other fields, how modern discovers are bolstering the idea that Atlantis and Lemuria really existed and were not simply literary creations of Plato some twenty-four centuries ago. Revealed are disturbing parallels between those ancient civilizations and our own contemporary societies. The engaging and compelling text is enhanced with a photo section of fascinating areas currently under scientific investigation for sings of these lost cultures and peoples. Edgar Cayce's Atlantis And Lemuria is highly recommended reading for students of archaeology, antiquity, and the metaphysical prophecies and visions of the late Edgar Cayce.

Weiser/Red Wheel
Box 612, York Beach, ME 03910-0612
1-800-423-7087

Maureen Smith's Full Tilt Living (1-59003-000-1, $16.95) is as much psychology as it is a spiritual advice title on how to become more open to new experiences. Chapters advocate embracing new experiences and kicking old bad habits, providing tips on how to do so. An uplifting, positive guide to self-improvement and psychic change. Any interested in magic should not miss Eliphas Levi's History Of Magic (929-8, $21.95): it explains the evolution of magic in the worlds of philosophy, religion, math and art, commenting on both early philosophers and occult sciences from all disciplines. Any interested in the origins and experiences of magic will find it engrossing.



The Computer Shelf

Web Design Workshop
John Tollett, et.al.
Peachpit Press
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0-201-74867-3 $39.99 1-800-283-9444

Leading industry illustrators from Robin Williams to David Rohr here share their tips and techniques for graphic and web design. Learn how to design visually instead of relying on code, how to build navigation systems which enhance design, and how to use features in sites which are easily accessed yet creative and flashy. Web Design Workshopais packed with practical how-to information on getting the most from a web site's design.

Certified Coldfusion 5 Developer Study Guide
Ben Forta
Que Publishing
c/oPearson Technology Group
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1097
0789726963 $45.00 pearsonptg.com

Ben Forta's Certified Coldfusion 5 Developer Study Guide will not teach ColdFusion, but will be a review guide that provides helpful pointers for examinees. The book's look will be non-intimidating yet thorough, and will be highly readable in small bite-sized chunks. Each subject will be presented in a clear and direct language, with useful and well explained code examples. Sample questions will accompany each subject, as will references to recommended reading, product documentation, Macromedia course work, and existing ColdFusion books. 432 pp. Intermediate-Advanced user level.

Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
1-800-300-9868

Two fine titles will appeal to any who regular use the internet for professional searches. Marylaine Block edits The Quintessential Searcher (1-57387-114-1, $19.95), which presents Searcher Magazine editor barbara Quint's quotes on the subject. Fans of Quint's writings will be the mostly likely audience for this compilation of observations about computers, searching, and our information society. Risa Sacks' Super Searchers Go To The Source (53-6, $24.95) shares the professional techniques of twelve information experts who tell how they blend primary research with online information-gathering strategies. The blend of direct observation, interviewing, and the use of public records and source documents succeeds in uncovering hard-to-find information: this tells exactly how, relating the success and failure experiences of top Internet researchers.

ASP.NET Unleashed
Stephen Walther
Sams Publishing, c/o Pearson Technology Group
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1097
0672320681 $54.99 pearsonptg.com

A seasoned expert in the ASP development community, Steven Walther draws upon his impressive expertise as an ASP.NET trainer in ASP.NET Unleashed to create a comprehensive and invaluable guide. Readers will learn the advanced features of ASP.NET, and how to apply them in their own Internet applications. This in-depth, code-intensive instructional guide and reference covers a broad range of advanced ASP.NET topics that include: Validating Form Data, Programming Mobile Devices, Using Code Behind, Building Custom ASP.NET Controls, Creating Graphics with GDI.NET, Data Access with ADO.NET, ASP.NET Security, Using XML in ASP.NET Applications and Building and Consuming Web Services. 1464 pp. Intermediate-Advanced user level.

Advanced Internet Programming
Sergei Dunaev
Charles River Media
20 Downer Avenue, Suite 3, Hingham, MA 02043
1584500603 $34.95 1-800-382-8505

Sergei Dunaev's Advanced Internet Programming is a comprehensive and practical guide to developing Internet applications and e-commerce solutions. In addition to detailed covers of various Internet development tools, programmers are shown how to create and use a variety of applications including applets, scriplets, XML-constructions, JSP, ASP, and more. In short, how to choose the proper tool for a specific Internet need. Additional features include coverage of Enterprise JavaBeans/CORBA and ActiveX/DCOM; HTML; DHTML; ODS; ODBC; SAX; OLE DB; and more. Examples are provided in Visual Basic, Java, C++, Pascal, and LotusScript, as well as the latest developments in Java and XML. Advanced Internet Programming is an invaluable and recommended addition to any serious programmer's reference shelf.



The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Shelf

The October County
Ray Bradbury
DelRey
1540 Broadway, New York NY 10036
0-345-40785-7 $12.00 1-800-726-0600

This reprint of a fine short story collection will gain new audiences for Ray Bradbury's chilling stories. The original cover art and black and white illustrations by Joseph Mugnaini appear throughout this powerful collection of tales.

Valdemar Companion
John Helfers & Denise Little
DAW Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-7564-0037-6 $24.95

Valdemar Companion provides an authorized guide to Valdemar, includes an original novella by Mercedes Lackey, and is a recommended pick for readers who have followed Lackey's Valdemar fantasy kingdom over the extent of her writings. Valdemar Companion provides a reader's guide to her world, from an overview of its fantasy history to insights on the various races and peoples who inhabit it. Highly recommended for avid fans of Mercedes Lackey's fantasy writing.

Science Fiction Films Of The Seventies
Craig W. Anderson
McFarland & Company
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina, 28640
078641197X $25.00 1-800-253-2187

Science fiction enthusiast and author Craig Anderson's Science Fiction Films Of The Seventies is an entertaining, fact-filled reference and guide to the science fiction films of the 1970's, an era when only 5% of the box office movies were science fiction. Over forty science fiction movies are each looked at individually, including a synopsis, information about the making of the movie, and thoughtful critical appraisal. a segment of black-and-white photographs lets readers unfamiliar with certain films get a glimpse of what they were like. Science Fiction Films Of The Seventies is a "must" for connoisseurs of such great classic movies as Logan's Run and Soylent Green, as well as film history students with a strong interest in the evolution of silver screen sci-fi!

Redshift
Al Sarrantonio, Editor
ROC
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-451-45859-1 $24.95 1-800-847-5515

Redshift isn't just another gathering of much-printed favorites, but presents all new stories of speculative fiction by such notables as LeGuin, Niven, Turtledove, Baxter and more. The all-star line-up of fantasy and science fiction writers paired with all-new stories assures that any fan of the genre will have fine reading here.

The Tolkien Years
Greg & Tim Hildebrandt
Watson Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0823051242 $24.95 1-800-451-1741

The Tolkien Years isn't just another survey of Tolkien's titles so much as a superb presentation of the bestselling Lord Of The Rings calendars by Greg and Tim Hildebrandt which appeared in 1976-78. Stories of the artists' creation of these calendars, the source of their ideas, and how they were conceived is written through the memory of Greg's son, who posed for the Hobbits. Packed with color, The Tolkien Years is a "must" for Tolkien fans and includes a pull-out large poster.

Fantasy Of The 20th Century
Randy Broecker
Collectors Press
Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281
1-888054-52-2 $60.00 1-800-423-1848

Solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history will appreciate Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century, a superbly presented survey of fantasy creators and their worlds. Full-page color photos of fantasy publications from magazines to pulp fiction accompany a coverage of notable authors, plots, and series titles alike. This will prove an especially inviting gift for that avid fan who 'has everything'.

Ace Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
1-800-847-5515

Two fine Ace Books scifi titles provide very different examples of excellent quality literature in this diverse and popular genre. Orson Scott Card edits Masterpieces (0-441-00864-X, $24.95) which features the best science fiction of the century by such notables as Asimov, Heinlein, Pohl and others. Anticipate a high-quality collection, though avid readers of the genre certainly will recognize some of the stories. P.N. Elrod's Dracula In London (00858-5, $14.95) provides new Dracula variations by such notables as Saberhagen, Yarbro, Nye and others. Very different Dracula accounts pack pages of intriguing tales especially recommended for fans of vampire stories. Both are fine collections.

Debt Of Bones
Terry Goodkind
Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
0-575-07256-3 $17.95 1-800-805-5489

Terry Goodkin's Debt Of Bones presents a completely revised edition of Goodkind's epic from the Sword of Truth series, including a specially commissioned new introduction by Goodkind and new full-page illustrations by Keith Parkinson. It predates Wizard's First Rule and thus will serve as an excellent introduction to newcomers to Goodkind's fantasy magic and worlds.

The Wild Boy
Warren Rochelle
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802
1930846045 $22.95 goldengryphon.com

Warren Rochelle's The Wild Boy is a compelling science fiction narrative of an Earth and humanity domesticated by urine alien beings, who breed the human race specifically to become their emotional symbiotes. In time, only a few "wild" humans remain surviving the alien pogroms. The Wild Boy is the superbly crafted story of one such domesticated human and his struggle to achieve and understand the meaning of freedom, for himself, for his race, and possibly for the bear-like alien race as well. The Wild Boy is highly recommended fare for the science fiction enthusiast.

Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471

Book 2 of Rick Cook's 'Wiz Biz', Cursed & Consulted (0-671-31859-4, $23.00) tells of Wiz's latest confrontation with a new curse laid on him by an elf. Add computer criminals from his own world, dragons who view Wiz as a threat to their realm, and high sorcery all around and you have a strong fantasy adventure which needs no prior introduction in order to prove satisfying. Harry Turtledove's Marching Through Peachtree (0-671-31843-8, $21.00) tells of a civil war which is tearing apart a world. This military account tells of sorcery, wizards at war, and conflicts between free and enslaved peoples and will satisfy those who enjoy fantasy and alternative histories.



The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Prayer Bead Box
Manuela Mascetti & Priya Hemenway
Viking Press
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-670-03010-4 $22.95 1-800-847-5515

Prayer Bead Box is a gift package perfect for holiday gift-giving: it's a keepsake box with a string of 108 sandalwood beads in a velvet sachet and a four-color hardcover book which provides the history and significance of prayer beads over various religions. A beautiful package which will appeal to a wide audience.

Compassionate Living
Rev. Jerome Stefaniak
Brockton Publishing
11306 Overbrook, Houston, TX 77077
0963875833 $14.95 1-800-968-7065

Now available in a new and updated second edition, Compassionate Living: Everyday Spirituality is a gentle, humorous, compelling and practical guide to living a truly spiritual life. Compassionate Living is not for ascetics who seek to isolate themselves from the world; rather it is about blending spiritualism with a normal, everyday life and the work and play that accompany each day of human routine. Filled with treasured insights, Compassionate Living is highly recommended and personally rewarding reading.

Jewish Spirituality
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
1580231500 $12.95 1-800-962-4544

In Jewish Spirituality: A Brief Introduction For Christians, Rabbi Lawrence Kushner assists members of the Christian community to better understand Judaism in general, and basic Jewish concepts of spirituality in particular. In a complete accessible text, Rabbi Kushner explores how we are all connected to each other and to God, how the Torah is a blueprint for all of creation, how "holy deeds" are required every day by each of us in order to successfully mend the world, the nature of God's "Oneness", how the Jewish experience of teshuva is similar to the Christian experience of Jesus, and a great deal more. Rabbi Kushner also dispels a number of misconceptions about Judaism common among Christians. Jewish Spirituality is an enthusiastically recommended introduction for those with Christian backgrounds who are seeking a better understanding of Judaism and its relation to their own Christian faith from a Jewish perspective.

Master Essences
Sage
TreeHouse Press
c/o Elizabeth Caulder Associates
PO Box 4, Malibu, CA 90265
0964519461 $12.95 1-310-456-2076

Master Essences: Daily Inspirations Of Love And Light is a warm, gentle collection of meaningful spiritual observations. Each page of this small yet emotional book features a thought to ponder and a black-and-white photograph, such as "I remember I am a perfect spirit in a perfect body having an earth adventure" next to the touching photograph of a mother cat carrying her kitten by the scruff of the neck. Master Essences is enthusiastically recommended for those in search of an enhanced personal spirituality.

Smack In The Middle Of Life
Peggy Treiber
Unity House
1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, MO 64065-0001
0871592711 $13.95 unityworldhq.org

Peggy Treiber's Smack In The Middle Of Life: True Stories And Blessed Aha's is a gentle, humorous collection of insightful accounts of using spiritual and Christian principles to better cope with the loopy and hectic situations that ordinary life throws at us again and again. The true powers of love, faith, and endurance are tested and brought to the fore in these heartwarming vignettes, such as the one titled "Jesus needed to make a personal connection." Smack In The Middle Of Life makes for superb inspirational reading and also makes a delightful giftbook.

Praying Dangerously
Regina Sara Ryan
Hohm Press
PO Box 2501, Prescott, AZ 86302
1890772062 $14.95 1-800-381-2700

In Praying Dangerously: Radical Reliance On God, Regina Ryan draws upon her more than twenty-five years of studies in contemplation and mysticism as practiced in the religious traditions and lives of great women from Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Sapphism in order to reveal an age-old and universal tradition of prayer as an expression of a radical and total reliance on God in the face of a secular world that can range from the seemingly indifferent to the actively hostile. Included are "dangerous prayers" from Jesus, Simone Weil (a French philosopher and mystic), the Sufi Saint Rabi'a, Tibetan teacher Chagdud Tulku, and others. Praying Dangerously is compelling, thoughtful, occasionally iconoclastic, and highly recommended for serious students of religion and spirituality.

The Diamond Sutra
Red Pine
Counterpoint
717 D Street NW #203, Washington, DC 20004
1-58243-059-4 $35.00

The Diamond Sutra features text and commentaries translated from the Chinese and Sanskrit by Red Pine, providing all interested in Buddhist teachings with new insights on the most studied of all the sutras. The author is a Buddhist scholar who has consulted dozens of commentaries in the course of his research, making for an exceptional translation.



The Social Issues Shelf

Spin This!
Bill Press
Pocket Books
1230 Avenue of Americas, NY, NY 10020
0-7434-4267-9 $26.00 1-800-223-2336

'Spin' is the deliberate manipulation of the truth across society, and can mean anything from accenting the pros and cons in a situation to disregarding the facts entirely. Examples from recent history and social events probe politics and social issues as journalism and advertising effect their own special 'spin' on reporting.

Beggars And Choosers
Rickie Solinger
Hill & Wang/Farrar Straus Giroux
19 Union Square West, NY, NY 10003
0-8090-9702-8 $25.00 1-888-330-8477

How do the politics of choice shape issues and laws surrounding adoption, abortion and welfare in this country? Rickie Solinger's Beggars And Choosers explores the changing language and evolving law since Roe V. Wade, examining historical distinctions between ethnic and social classes and how new politics and issues influence concepts of choice. An eye-opening presentation of how one woman's choice is another's burden.

Transfer Society
David Laband & George McClintock
Cato Institute Press
1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001
1-930865-10-4 $19.95 1-800-767-1241

How much time, money and resources have been allotted to influence how wealth is distributed in this country? Over $2,000 year for every individual, according to this title. The figure doesn't represent the amount transferred, but the amount spent on influencing transfers. Transfer Society provides a refreshingly different perspective on new wealth and the process of distributing wealth within the government and private sectors. Intriguing and different.



The Needlecraft Shelf

Create Your Family Quilt
Barbara Brackman
Electric Quilt Company
419 Gould St. Suite 2, Bowling Green, OH 43402
1-893824-10-1 $29.95

Use the CDROM packaged with Barbara Brackman's Create Your Family Quilt to blend the goals of celebrating family heritage with making a family quilt. From quilt blocks which represent states to vintage pictures, state facts, and regional flavor, this tells how to incorporate state quilt blocks and symbols to create a unique family portrait. Access to a CDROM drive is essential, here.

American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.aqsquilt.com

Four new quilting titles by this publisher provide distinctive projects which stand out. Sharon Stroud's Dresden Plates Of Distinction (1-57432-773-9, $18.95) provides sixteen original quilting projects using plates of floral fabrics which add whimsical patterns. Color illustrations of completed designs are appealing. Patricia Morris' Perfecting The Quilting Stitch (779-8, $16.95) provides detailed chapters on everything from marking tools and methods to different quilting techniques. Exercises reinforce the skills taught, though the focus here is upon developing different stitch skills. Bobbie Aug & Sharon Newman's More Vertical Quilts With Style (777-1, $18.95) tells how to use vertical settings to obtain new designs. Familiarity with the prior Vertical Quilts With Style is recommended in order to continue the lessons presented herein. Carleen Parlato and Victoria Stuart's Dazzling Stars (769-0, $21.95) tells how to produce almost perfect star blocks for piecing quilts. Almost fifty star block projects range from wallhangings to bed-size quilt projects. These are fine quilting guides for all levels of quilters.

C&T Publishing
Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
1-800-284-1114

These quilting titles are exceptional choices for both beginners and those who have some quilting background, but want to learn new styles. Judith Baker Montano's Crazy Quilt Handbook (1-57120-173-4, $19.95) appears in its revised second edition to offer twelve simple projects and a fine stitch guide. Color photos abound in these fine project descriptions. Jan Krentz's Lone Star Quilts & Beyond (161-0, $24.95) deserves ongoing recommendation as a fine guide to producing a classic quilt using rotary cutting techniques. Others which deserve repeat mention and recommendation are Laurel Burch's Kindred Creatures (160-2, $24.95), which offers twelve projects using quilting, embroidery, and fabric painting; Kristen Dibbs' Machine Embroidery And More (162-9, $23.95), telling how to work with border prints and different types of quilt-based projects from wearables to blankets; Alex Anderson's excellent Start Quilting (167-X, $12.95), recommended for beginners new to the medium, and Wendy Hill's Two-For-One Foundation Piecing (169-6, $23.95), revealing how to produce the reversible foundation-pieced quilts which work as well with clothing. Among the new recommendations are Mary Lou Weidman's Quilted Memories (166-1, $23.95), which provides nine projects to teach the production of 'story quilts', Larraine Scouler's Quilting Back To Front (164-5, $16.95), telling of an alternative method of traditional quilting which involves using fabric on the backs of quilts for alternative designs, and Gai Perry's Do It Yourself Framed Quilts (174-2, $19.95), which tells of techniques for producing quilts suitable for framing - and affordable, using ready-made frames. Don't miss Yvonne Porcella's Magical Four-Patch And Nine-Patch Quilts (167-2, $14.95), which provides the artist's techniques for using this method to create visually stunning quilts; or Louisa Smith's Strips N Curves (168-8, $23.95), which covers the basics of easy strip piecing and provides three complete projects to take readers from beginning to advanced levels. All ae excellent hands-on, step-by-step guides. Two lovely notecard sets ($11.95 each) are based on this publisher's quilting books and will provide quilters with lovely gifts. Lone Star Quilts provides twelve notecards based on four beautiful images from the book; Kindred Creatures provides four vibrant, colorful appliqued quilt images. Both make excellent gifts quilters.



The Audiobook Shelf

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Women
Kristine Carlson
Hyperion Audio
77 West 66th St., NY, NY 10023-6298
0-7868-7151-2 $17.98 1-800-759-0190

Kristine Carlson's audiobook reveals how women can preserve a sense of well-being and power in a world which offers them little time for relaxation. The author provides her own reading which brings alive her ideas for finding more time and discovering what truly matters. Don't miss Don't Sweat The Small Stuff For Men (by Richard Carlson, 7152-0, $17.98): a companion title which uses a similar format and approach to discuss how men can minimize stress.

Jabez
Thom Lemmons
Random House Audio Books
1540 Broadway, 15th fl., NY, NY 10036
0553713051 $16.99 1-800-726-0600

Thom Lemmons' Jabez is a fascinating and deftly written novel based on Jabez, a man of prayer whose name meant "pain" and is briefly mention in 1 Chronicles 4:9 as being "more honorable than his brothers". Dramatically narrated by Jeff David, this novel of faith and conflict, courage and hardship, is set in ancient Israel and a riveting "theater of the mind" experience. Abridged, 2 cassette, 3 hours.

Terrorism: The Official Reports
Audio Scholar
Box 1456, Mendocino, CA 95460
1-879557-78-9 $17.95

Terrorism: The Official Reports highlights the latest information on international terrorism, synthesizing the results of recent US government reports from the Dept. of State, FBI, and others. From global trends in terrorist activity to changing methods of international terrorism, this provides a fine audio overview, narrated by the powerful veteran voice of Grover Gardner, who's recorded over 400 titles for the Library of Congress. Timely and recommended.

What Makes Sammy Run?
Budd Schulberg
Books On Tape, Inc.
Box 7900, Newport Beach, CA 92658
0736676260 $27.00 1-800-959-8273

Budd Schulberg's What Makes Sammy Run? is set in the cutthroat world of the movie industry. Sammy Glick is a classic Hollywood player with a genius for climbing the corporate ladder with a ruthless intensity and a web of deceit and double-dealing. Author Budd Schulberg presents a memorable cast of characters headlined by a protagonist that is both hilariously appalling and deeply compassionate. This complete, unabridged, 13 hour and 30 minute production is aptly narrated by Scott Brick and would make a welcome and popular acquisition for community library audio book collections. Durable plastic shell, 9 ninety minute cassettes.

Audio Editions/Audio Partners
1133 High Street, Auburn, CA 95603
http://www.audiopartners.com

Forrest Church's Restoring Faith (1-57270-272-9, $15.95) receives a fine narration as it includes live recordings of and readings from sermons delivered to congregations of many faiths after the events of September 11th. Those seeking spiritual meaning in the wake of these events will find this absorbing and meaningful: powerful in its audio form. Dodie Smith I Capture The Castle (224-9, $24.95) receives Emilia Fox's charismatic voice as it tells of a teenager's life. Cassandra lives in a crumbling ruin of an old castle: her eccentric family and her romances come alive here. Agatha Christie's Dead Man's Folly (236-2, $25.95) receives David Suchet's seasoned and moving voice as it presents a Hercule Poirot mystery based on a 'murder hunt' party game. The game turns all too real and Suchet brings alive the puzzle and fear of the party-goers. All are excellent audio listening.

Power Of Apology
Beverly Engel
Wiley Audio/Penton Overseas
2470 Impala Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008
1-56015-259-1 $18.95 1-800-748-5804

Kate Reading narrates this classic account of discovering the healing power of apology. This outlines healing steps which may be taken to transform relationships, outlining common barriers to healing and how to overcome them. Reading's voice keeps the simple lessons easy.

Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1-800-854-7859

Author Nora Roberts has many fans and the appearance of her Midnight Bayou on audio (1-58788-780-0, $24.95) should earn the attention of prior and new fans alike. James Daniels provides a moving narration about a man who buys an old mansion and becomes haunted by its history. Stuart Woods' Orchid Blues (784-3, $29.95) is unabridged, with Dick Hill and Susie Breck providing a spirited co-narration telling of police chief Holly's involvement tracking an unusual group of thieves. Her investigations lead her deep into the world of politics and undercover operations. Tami Hoag's Cry Wolf (631-6, $24.95) receives Joyce Bean's smooth and clear narrative style, which brings alive the deadly rise of power charted in this story of an attorney who investigates the disappearance of women in the Louisiana bayous. Steeped in atmosphere and high drama, accented by audio. Robert Crais' Stalking The Angel (643-X, $24.95) tells of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, who take on the Japanese mob. David Stuart provides a lively reading of this L.A. private eye's encounters with evil. Enjoy a healthy dose of humor with Mike Lupica's Full Court Press (880-7, $24.95), telling of the coolest basketball player of the season - a girl. Stephanie Knox narrates the story of one girl's struggles in the NBA. Rita Rudner's Tickled Pink (804-1, $19.95) is a comic novel narrated by the author and telling of Mindy, who dreams of a dancing career and rethinks her career and life. A wild ride filled with changes results. Geoffrey Perret's Jack (969-2, $29.95) receives veteran narrator Dick Hill's smooth and riveting biography of Jack Kennedy's life and times. Perrett's words about Jack's life and times comes alive under Hill's smooth voice. Andrew Morton's Madonna (810-6, $19.95) receives Ian Peakes' moving narrative style as it tells of Madonna's life and private moments. Any fan of Madonna will find this a 'must', spiced by audio drama. All are exceptional leisure choices.

The Cat Of Bubastes
G.A. Henty
PrestonSpeed Publications
Greathall Productions, dist.
51 Ridge Rd., Mill Hall, PA 17751
1887159606 $29.95 prestonspeed.com

Superbly narrated by Jim Weiss, The Cat Of Bubastes is an exciting, riveting tale by G.A. Henty of Chebron (son of the Egyptian High Priest Ameres) and Amuba (a slave in the Ameres' household). Chebron accidentally kills a cat which is an act of sacrilege to the ancient Egyptians and the punishment is death. He and Amuba flee and in doing so find themselves embarking on the high road of adventure as they encounter life and death experiences among peoples of antiquity. The Cat Of Bubastes is a technically flawless, six CD, unabridged, six hour audio book and strongly recommended for personal and community library audio book collections.

New Millennium Audio
301 N. Canon Dr. #214, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
1-310-785-2180

Robert Parker's Death In Paradise (1-59007-071-2, $29.95) pairs Robert Forster's dramatic and fine voice with a fast-paced story of Jesse Sgtone, who investigates a troubled teen's murder in a small New England town. Add local characters and small town sentiments and you have a tense thriller which appears unabridged in its full glory. Jack Higgins' Brought In Dead (070-4, $25.00) receives Patrick Macnee's extensive film background and performance expertise as it brings to life the story of a drowned woman's mysterious death. It's up to Nick Miller to solve the mystery; especially as he has a personal stake in the results. Fans of murder mysteries and boxing will relish two volumes of boxing mystery audios: Murder On The Ropes (V. 1 - 98-6; V. 2 - 99-4, $25.00 each). Here such notable authors as Joyce Carol Oats, John Shannon, Thomas Cook, and Loren Estleman are paired with veteran and vivid narrators to bring alive a set of boxing-related mysteries. Lest baseball fans feel left out, don't miss Murderers' Row (V. 1 -30-7; V. 2 - 31-5, $25.00 each). The same attention to notable authors such as Robert Parker and Lawrence Block paired with narrators from Lee Horsley to Jim Gray make these collections stand out in both style and content.

Highbridge Audio
1000 Westgate Dr., St. Paul, MN 55114
1-800-847-5515

These audios are winning presentations for discriminating audio listeners. Topping the list for appeal are Tolkien's classics The Hobbit (1-56511-551-1, $24.95) and Lord Of The Rings (549-X, $49.95). CD versions are also available of these NPR broadcasts, offering full-cast dramatizations of the classic fantasies. The wooden box packaging, first conceived by Mind's Eye, is reproduced in full glory in this set, which is a highly recommended pick both for gifts and personal enjoyment. An outstanding abridged set. Susan Vreeland's Girl In Hyacinth Blue (543-0, $24.95) comes alive under the voices of a number of narrators, and appears unabridged for added impact. A secret painting's long history has changed lives in this moving story. Nora Hague's Letters From An Age Of Reason (536-8, $39.95) receives Kathleen McInerney and Jeff Woodman's warm reading as it provides a romantic adventure set in Civil War times in America and London. A teen from a prominent New York family and a pampered house servant fall in love. Tracy Chevalier's Falling Angels (507-4, $34.95) comes to life under the smooth voice of Anne Twomey, who provides a spirited reading of two families who become linked when their daughters meet in a cemetery. Very different backgrounds come together as the two grow up. New perspectives on World War II are presented in Robert Cowley's No End Save Victory (516-3, $24.95), read by Leo Burmester and providing essays on little-known facts and events from World War II history. Readers of military history will find this involving. From The Ashes (635-6, $24.95) is narrated by Richard Davidson and Alison Fraser and provides thoughts by spiritual leaders from many traditions on the events of September 11th. Jack Miles' Christ (540-6, $24.95) provides an intriguing consideration of the life of Christ as a hero of literature. Grover gardner brings this biography alive in a very different version of the story. All are recommended picks.

Recorded Books/Clipper
270 Skipjack Rd., Prince Frederick, MD 20678
1-800-638-1304

Many of the Clipper audio imprints seem designed to appeal to fans of British fiction, mysteries, and accents; these selections will hold wide-ranging appeal for any who enjoy dramatic plots and readers. Amanda Brookfield's A Family Man (0-84197-219-3, $72.00) tells of Matt Webster, whose wife leaves him with a four-year-old to raise alone. Gordon Griffin provides an involving narration of a man who suddenly must be a single parent. Sara Wheeler's Terra Incognita (266-5, $92.00) receives Patricia Gallimore's spirited reading as it tells of a woman's visit to Antarctica and her love for its harsh beauty. Travel fans will find this involving, filled with detailed descriptions of the ice world. David Sinclair's The Pound (273-8, $63.00) also receives Griffin's smooth narrative style: while it will interest primarily British subjects, any with an interest in world currency will find this history intriguing. Deborah Crombie's All Shall Be Well (251-7, $56.00) receives Christopher Kay's moving style as it excels in both narrative drama and mystery. A possible suicide turns out to be murder when Duncan investigates. Ian Rankin has two excellent mysteries narrated by Samuel Gillies, who provides high drama and excitement to the stories. Tooth And Nail (205-3, $63.00) provides an Inspector Rebus mystery revolving around a serial killer who has Scotland Yard puzzled. Let It Bleed (246-0, $72.00) provides another Rebus crime novel set in Edinburgh and telling of a kidnapped daughter. Both are filled with involving twists and turns of plot. Both are highly recommended picks for mystery fans.



The Cookbook Shelf

Chocolate Cake From The Cake Mix Doctor
Anne Byrn
Workman Publishing Company
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0-7611-2271-0 $14.95 1-800-722-7202

Chocolate Cake From The Cake Mix Doctor is a fine marriage of gourmet cake-making paired with the convenience of using cake mixes and failsafe baking techniques to produce a polished result. Introductory pages provide small fancy color photos of finished cakes, inspiring the reader to look further for easy recipes for delectable delights. Elevate the lowly cake mix a step further with the additions proposed by these recipes.

Betty Groff Cookbook
Diane Stoneback
RB Books
1010 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA 17102
1879441845 $29.95 1-800-497-1427

Pennsylvania German recipes are combined with Betty Groff's childhood memories as told to Diane Stoneback in the Betty Groff Cookbook. The delicious recipes are augmented with full color photography by Blair Seitz. From Cornmeal Fried Chicken with Herbs; Beef Pie; and Cream of Watercress Soup; to Baked Tilapia; Apricot-Nut Bread; and Soft Sugar Cookies, the Betty Groff Cookbook is as much fun to browse through as it is to plan meals with!

Diabetic Cooking For Seniors
Kathleen Stanley
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
1580400736 $12.95 www.diabetes.org

Published by the American Diabetes Association, an organization whose mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes, Diabetic Cooking For Seniors is a highly practical, time and effort-saving cookbook. All recipes use five ingredients or less, and the portions are scaled down for seniors rather than the usual immense quantities meant to feed large families. Useful advice, tips, tricks, and techniques help people with arthritis or a fading sense of taste create meals that are nutritious, delicious, and healthy. Nutritional information and official American Diabetes Association exchanges are included for each recipe, and the text is in reasonably large type to make reading easier. Diabetic Cooking For Seniors is a "must" for any independent senior looking for useful and delicious culinary ways to help keep their blood sugar and calorie intake down.

150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes
Judith Finlayson
Robert Rose/Firefly
Box 61109, Denver, CO 80206
0-7788-0038-5 $22.95 1-800-387-5085

From dips and main dishes to desserts and even roasts, 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes packs in a range of tips and recipes for using the slow cooker to maximum effect. Add color photos of finished results and tips on using different sizes and shapes of slow cooker and you have a guide which is appealing and delicious.

Meat
John Harrisson & Frederick Simon
Clarkson Potter Publishers
299 Park Avenue, New York NY 10171
0-609-60777-4 $25.95 randomhouse.com

Meat is a modern, definitive cookery guide branded by Omaha Steaks and providing over a hundred recipes on how to cook beef, veal, pork, lamb, fowl and other meats. Many of the dishes host international flavors and influences with ingredients readily available in any modern market. Color photos liberally pepper the title and add confidence about the finished result.

Hazel's Kitchen Table
Jeanne Larson Hyde
The Guest Cottage, Inc.
P.O. Box 848, Woodruff, WI 54568
0942495640 $15.95 1-800-333-8122

Hazel's Kitchen Table is a homey, down-to-earth cookbook filled with mouth-watering traditional recipes, from Swedish Oven Pancake, Apricot Cranberry Bread, and Sour Cream Chocolate Cake, to Ice Box Cookies, and Potato Sausage. Each delicious and homespun recipe has a brief sidebar relating how the family and guests of Hazel's household enjoyed the delicacy. Hazel's Kitchen Table is a superb cookbook for kitchens that prepare family meals with love and eager anticipation for holiday festivities, or just plain old dinnertime good eating.
The Great Turkey Cookbook
Virginia Hoffman & Robert Hoffman
The Hoffman Press
PO Box 2868, Santa Rosa, CA 95405
1893718115 $19.95 1-707-538-5527

Virginia and Robert Hoffman's The Great Turkey Cookbook: 385 Turkey Recipes For Every Day And Holidays is the definitive, year round specialty cookbook for turkey based cuisines. From Fruitful Turkey Salad; Turkey Divan Soup; Vintner's Turkey Chili; and Teriyaki Turkey; to Spicy Turkey Meat Loaf; Glazed Turkey Steaks with Apricot Nut Pilaf; Port-Sauced Turkey; and Turkey Tacos, The Great Turkey Cookbook offers mouth-watering, palate-pleasing, easy-to-follow recipes for all occasions both formal and informal.

Rotisserie Oven Cooking
Sandra Rudloff
Nitty Gritty/Bristol Publishing
PO Box 1737, San Leandro, CA 94577
1558672672 $8.95 1-800-346-4889

In Rotisserie Oven Cooking, freelance food writer and recipe developer Sandra Rudloff showcases 125 unique and delicious recipes for a rotisserie oven that can be enjoyed any time, any where, and all year long. From Herbed Turkey Burgers, Spring Lamb Shish Kabobs, and Hot Honey Chicken, to Salmon with Avocado Salsa, Swordfish with Rosemary Butter, and Herbed Sirloin Roast, Rotisserie Oven Cooking will quickly become a counter-top rotisserie themed, family mealtime planning favorite.

365 Wild Game Recipes
Edie Franson
Krause Publications
700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
0873419952 $17.95 1-800-258-0929

Edie Franson has written the "Camp Cook" column for the Wisconsin Outdoor Journal for the past eight years. In 365 Wild Game Recipes she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to showcase easy and delicious recipes for everything from venison to fish. All courses of a meal are covered including entrees, side dishes, and desserts. From Venison Goulash; Baked Quail in White Wine; Pheasant Cacciatore; and Workday Turkey Casserole; to Spicy Rabbit with Bacon Gravy; Smothered Wild Rice & Fried Squirrel; Wild Goose with Green Apple Stuffing; and Bass Fillets in Beer Sauce, 365 Wild Game Recipes (with a spiral, "lay flat" binding) will swiftly become a favorite culinary reference for kitchen cooks working with wild game of all sorts and categories.

Sacred Food
Elisabeth Luard
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
1556523939 $35.00 1-800-888-4741

In Sacred Food: Cooking For Spiritual Nourishment, award-winning food writer Elisabeth Luard takes the reader on a fascinating and inspiring survey of dishes traditionally served at significant and celebatory moments ranging from birth, puberty, courtship, and betrothal, to marriage, death, burial, and remembrance. Along the way Luard illuminates how and why we celebrate such human milestones with food. Superb images showcase a wealth of recipes and myriad cultures from Mexico, Japan, Spain, Italy, and Indonesia, to North American, the Middle East, Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain. From Mushroom Piroshki for an Eastern European birth basket, to Kerala Coconut Curry prepared for an Indian wedding feast, Sacred Food offers more than 40 sumptuous recipes to delight, educate, and please the palate. Sacred Foods is highly recommended for culinary gourmets and students of the cultural role food plays in human societies around the world.

Hippocrene
171 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016
1-718-454-2366

Two fine guides offer foods and focuses a bit out of the ordinary for a cookbook. Siri Lise Doub's Tastes & Tales Of Norway (0-7818-0877-4, $24.95) features traditional Norweigian dishes and competes well with what few Norwegian cookbooks are on the market. This one is packed with both recipes and folktales. No color photos of finished dishes, but the vintage black and white photos capture a folk taste of the country. Chat Mingkwan's Best Of Regional Thai Cuisine (0880-4, $24.95) completes well with more general Thai cookbooks, focussing on the four major regions of Thailand and their culinary differences and signature dishes. Access to a good Asian market is essential and some of the ingredients - such as a bunch of pandan leaves for Pandan Leaf Wrapped Chicken - may not be readily available. Both are inviting and unusual cookbooks.



The Gardening Shelf

Plants For Dry Climates
Mary Rose Duffield & Warren Jones
Perseus Publishing
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
1-55561-251-2 $25.00 1-800-242-7737

Southwest gardeners who live in very dry areas will benefit from Mary Rose Duffield and Warren Jones' Plants For Dry Climates, an informative, "user friendly" book which tells how to build and maintain a landscape on very little water. Plants For Dry Climates and a focus on organizing a planting area based on usage makes for a title which tells how plants can improve the climate around one's house.

Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas
Ian Cooke
Timber Press
133 SW Second Ave. #450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
0-88192-513-6 $29.95 1-800-327-5680

Cannas are thought of in terms of their beautiful color. Ian Cooke's Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas presents a canna expert's complete review of the plant, from an A-Z listing of varieties to the history of cannas, their cultivation and species, and cannas in the garden. Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas is an appealing, colorful, comprehensive guide which gardeners and horticulturalists will appreciate.

Trafalgar Press, Dist.
PO Box 257, North Pomfret, VT 05053
1-800-423-4525

Two excellent gardening guides are recommended picks. For gardeners who like to view successful gardens, choose Peter King's Good Gardens Guide 2002 (Bloomsbury, 0-7475-5652-0, $24.95): it rates the best 1400 gardens, parks and green places in Europe and European visitors can use it to locate and tour some unique gardens. Anticipate no color photos here: just a practical take-along tote which outlines garden and plant features. Constance Tindale's Bonsai (Crowood Press, 1-86126-418-6, $45.00) covers all the basics of bonsai care and creation; from watering and displaying miniature trees to shaping and pruning the results. A fine, basic cultivation guide.

Annuals, Perennials & Bulbs
Anne Halpin
Creative Homeowner
PO Box 38, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458-0038
1580110681 $19.95 1-800-631-7795

Lifelong gardener Anne Halpin draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in Annuals, Perennials & Bulbs: Designing, Planting, Maintaining to offer the home gardener and landscaper a detailed guide to creating beds and borders that will showcase these garden plants to their best advantage. Halpin provides 40 step-by-step photo sequences taking the aspiring gardening through essential gardening tasks, as well as in-depth profiles of 125 favorite garden planes, enhanced with 600 color photographs (many of them clearly illustrating essential gardening techniques) and more than 50 watercolor illustrations. Very highly recommended for novice gardeners, and with much of value for experienced horticulturalists and landscapers, Annuals, Perennials & Bulbs will aptly serve as a continuing reference for the complex task of plant placement and selection.



The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Birder's Journal
Mel Baughman
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
0811726975 $19.95 stackpolebooks.com

Now available in an updated and expanded second edition, Mel Baughman's The Birder's Journal is a consumable volume for the personal use and notations of North American birdwatchers. Though it has very basic information on over 60 North American bird families, the bulk of this thick compendium consists of accurate, detailed black-and-white sketches of over 850 bird species, next to allotted writing space where the birdwatcher can make his or her own notes about when, how, and where that species of bird was successfully observed. The Birder's Journal is a perfect aid to keep track of the all the different feathered friends one has seen, and an excellent gift selection for any North American birdwatcher.

Six-Legged Sex
James K. Wangberg
Fulcrum Publishing
16100 Table Mountain Parkway #300, Golden, CO 80403-1672
1-55591-292-3 $17.95 1-800-992-2908

Fans of insects and those who would learn more about their sex lives will find James Wangberg's Six-Legged Sex to be packed with intriguing (and often surprising) information about insect sex. From sex hang-outs and influences on mating habits and strategies to insect peculiarities per species, Six-Legged Sex is highly recommended for school and community library collections.

Wild Babies
Irene Brady
Nature Works
P.O. Box 469, Talent, OR 97540
0915965038 $7.95 natureworksbooks.com

Irene Brady's Wild Babies: A Canyon Sketchbook is a beautifully written and illustrated black-and-white sketchbook of young wild creature of the beautiful yet unforgiving canyon environment, from black-tailed deer fawns to bobcat kittens to bear cubs and baby squirrels. The truly captivating art is supplemented with erudite, insightful commentary by the artist. The wonder, emotion, and appeal of the art makes Wild Babies makes for a most tasteful and highly recommended gift book. Also enthusiastically recommended are Irene Brady's other titles, The Redrock Canyon Explorer (0915965046, $15.95); and Beaver Year (091596502X, $6.95).

Willow Creek Press
Box 147, Minocqua, WI 54548
1-800-850-9453

Three fine pet titles provide animal lovers with whimsical, fun little books. 101 Uses For A Dog (1-57223-500-4, $14.95) provides color photos of dogs and outlines for 101 uses, from backseat driving companion to small 'lap top' models. Lee Thomas Kjos' photos are the highlight of Lab Rules (299-4, $14.95), a celebration of the labrador dog. Quotes from various sources celebrate the power and loyalty of the canine. Karen Anderson's Why Cats Do That (405-9, $13.95) gathers 'kitty quirks' in this lighthearted assessment of the underlying meaning of cat habits and sounds. These will make fine gifts for that hard-to-buy-for pet enthusiast.

Dancing With Horses
Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling
Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1570761841 $29.95 1-800-423-4525

Kristina McCormack translates this best-selling European book on how to develop trust and harmony between horses and humans using body language. Dancing With Horses will make an excellent companion to Almost A Whisper, reviewed above: the focuses on understanding horse psyche are similar, as is the holistic approach; but the methods are different - and complimentary. Color photos pack a step-by-step guide to this 'horse/human' body language.

Horse-Lover's Encyclopedia
Deborah Burns, Editor
Storey Books
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
1-58017-317-9 $24.95 www.storey.com

Horse lovers and owners should have the Horse-Lover's Encyclopedia as a home mainstay, while public libraries located anywhere near a rural area should have the Horse-Lover's Encyclopedia on their reference shelf. This is a comprehensive, A to Z encyclopedia of horses, from breeds and horse care to stable lore, and provides all kinds of details on everything from caring for hooves to performance and rodeo competition training. Small photos and diagrams throughout make for an excellent, basic handbook on the horse.

The Equine Arena Handbook
Robert Malmgren
Alpine Publications Inc.
P.O. Box 7027, Loveland, CO 80537
1577790162 $17.95 1-800-777-7257

The Equine Arena Handbook: Developing A User-Friendly Facility by equestrian expert Robert Malmgren is a no-nonsense, practical guide to building and maintaining proper arena grounds for one's horse to train and exercise. Building an arena is a costly business, and avoiding anything that could risk injury to a horse is even more important, so that anyone contemplating such an undertaking must read the practical guide first. The Equine Arena Handbook is also highly recommended for sincere horse lovers and horse fanciers everywhere, whether they own one of their own or not.

The Dog Who Met The Queen & Other Stories
Bernard Wasserman, D.V.M.
Bennington Press
59 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
0967163706 $12.95 1-914-225-9635

The Dog Who Met The Queen & Other Stories is a collection of true stories from the life of author and veterinarian Bernard Wasserman, A.B., D.V.M. Twenty-five thoroughly engaging tales cover such veterinarian adventures as the escapade of struggling to track down and recover a feline Houdini; coping with deadbeats and hangups who never pay the bills for their animal's care or abandon the animal; the story of the scruffy little adopted dog from the pound who met the Queen of England, and more. a sometimes heartwarming, sometimes cynical, wry, and involving book, The Dog Who Met The Queen & Other Stories is highly recommended and delightful reading for all animal lovers.



The Sports Shelf

Sea Kayaking Safety & Rescue
John Lull
Wilderness Press
1200 Fifth St., Berkeley, CA 94710-1306
0899972748 $